1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for cutting tubes and pipes, and more particularly to a hand held, motor powered tubing cutter that can be used to cut any length of pipe or tube.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plumbers, electricians, maintenance personnel and many other laborers often need to cut tubing or piping. Many times pipes or tubes are first run through the floor or a wall of a structure and then must be recut. For example, when plumbers put in baseboard heating the piping is run through the floor 1½ inches from the wall. Each one of the pipes then has to be recut. Conventionally, the plumber would recut the pipes by sitting on the floor with a small tubing cutter, measure each pipe and then cut each pipe. This is very time consuming because each cut takes several minutes. Another problem is that this method of cutting the pipes is very inaccurate because each pipe must be separately measured prior to cutting which will likely result in uneven cuts.
The following patent documents disclose conventional pipe cutting devices.
International Publication Number WO 93/13901 published on Jul. 22, 1993 discloses an implement for cutting thin walled pipes of sheet metal. The implement comprises an outer cutting ring having jaw clamps for centered holding of a pipe and with a rotating ring body that is driven by a motor. The ring body has holders for inwardly projecting spring loaded cutting wheels and an actuator means for forcing the cutting wheels against the pipe. When the ring body is rotated the cutting wheels will cross cut the pipe.
European Patent Application 0 483 076 discloses a super-rapid centrifugal system for the cutting and preparation of pipes. The pipe is inserted into a hole in the center of the apparatus. A metal ring is tightened around the pipe. A power source, through a chain drive, causes a blade to rotate around the pipe and cut through the pipe.
United Kingdom Patent Application Number GB 2 069 887 published on Sep. 3, 1981 discloses an apparatus for use in machining work pieces. The apparatus includes a machine having a drive motor. The machine is adapted to hold and rotatably drive a work piece or to drive one of the various tools that are connected to the machine. The various tools are held on the machine by a rotary clamp. The various tools include a tool carrier, a pipe cutter, a thread cutter, a vice, a die head, a circular saw, a cutting head, pipe bending equipment and pipe cleaning equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,669 issued on Apr. 29, 2003, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,897 issued on Mar. 27, 2001 to Carter, S. W. disclose a pipe cutter including a reciprocating jigsaw with a motor. A work piece holder is slidably secured to a way that is clamped to the jigsaw. The work piece holder has a handle and a slot for receiving and holding the work piece. The pipe that is to be cut is placed in the slot and the holder is moved along the way toward the jigsaw blade. The jigsaw then cuts the pipe.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,270 issued on Jan. 8, 2002 to Dureiko, D. R. discloses a portable, hand held tube-cutting device. The tube-cutting device has a slot for receiving a tube or pipe to be cut. While in the holding slot, a motor driven cutter cuts the pipe or tube at a desired length.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,997 issued on Oct. 24, 2000 to Rosanova, R. P. discloses a tuber cutter. The hand held tool has a pair of gripper rollers and a cutter roller that hold the tube to be cut. An electric motor drives the gripper rollers and rotates the tube. A second motor powers the cutter to cut the tube held by the gripping rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,187 issued on Sep. 15, 1998 to Ducret, L. C., U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,146 issued on Mar. 18, 1997 to Ducret, L. C. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,089 issued on May 27, 1997 to Sakamoto et al. each disclose cutting devices having clamping mechanisms for engaging the materials to be cut. Each of the devices discloses clamps for securing a tube or pipe to be cut. Once the tube or pipe is engaged by the clamping device the tube or pipe is cut by a saw blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,830 issued on Jun. 25, 1996 to Hansen, F. M. discloses a rotary cutting tool for cutting tubing. The tool has a rotatable cutting assembly adapted for mounting on the end of a tool body. The cutting assembly includes a rotatable base member having two support elements that support two cutting heads on the base member. Centrifugal force created by rotating the base member causes the cutting heads to pivot inwardly into cutting contact with the tubular member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,759 issued on May 31, 1994 to Mashata, M. discloses a power driven pipe-cutting device comprising a frame with a handle portion at one end and an upper jaw portion at the other end. A cutting roller is rotatably supported in the upper jaw portion. A carriage is slidably mounted to the handle and a power driven roller is rotatably supported by the carriage. The carriage and the power driven roller form a lower jaw portion and a cutting space is defined between the lower jaw portion and the upper jaw portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,760 issued on Sep. 14, 1993 to May, Jr., M. R. discloses an adjustable gear driven tube cutter. A cutting head is rotatably mounted within a tool body wherein both define circular openings to enable tubing to be inserted perpendicularly into the tool. A cutting wheel is incorporated into the cutting head such that rotation of the cutting head causes the wheel to pass around the periphery of the tool.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,449,992 issued on Jun. 17, 1969 to Hanaway, C. D. discloses a manually held power driven pipe cutter. The device includes a frame having a clamping device for securing the work piece to be cut. A motor powers a rotary cutter that cuts through the work piece clamped in the device.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a powered tubing cutter solving the aforementioned problems is desired.